In “we wear the mask,” what does dunbar say is shown on the masks worn by african americans?

Happiness

In "We Wear the Mask," the author argues that African Americans wear a constant mask. The mask is one of happiness, grinning faces, and positivity. However, the author states that underneath this mask, the African American community hides their pain and their sorrow from past abuses and constant injustices.

Happiness.

Explanation:

Paul Laurence Dunbar's poem "We Wear Masks" talks about the hidden pain and suffering of the African American people. The poem talks of the "mask that grins and lies with torn an bleeding hearts".

This mask shows them with a face that's smiling, showing their 'supposed happiness', and their positivity. But contrary to what is visible for the outside world to see, they wear the masks, crying to "great Christ, [their] cries  To thee from tortured souls arise". This mask hides the pain and sorrow they have endured during their past abuses and torture they had suffered at the hands of their masters.

1. read the following excerpt from franklin d. roosevelt's "fireside chat 19":

on the other side of the picture, we must learn also to know that guerilla warfare against the germans in, let us say serbia or norway, us; that a successful russian offensive against the germans us; and that british successes on land or sea in any part of the world strengthen our hands.

remember always that germany and italy, regardless of any formal declaration of war, consider themselves at war with the united states at this moment just as much as they consider themselves at war with britain or russia. and germany puts all the other republics of the americas into the same category of enemies. the people of our sister republics of this hemisphere can be honored by that fact.  

the true goal we seek is far above and beyond the ugly field of battle. when we resort to force, as now we must, we are determined that this force shall be directed toward ultimate good as well as against immediate evil. we americans are not destroyers — we are builders.

analyze the effectiveness of this excerpt. how does it function within the speech as a whole? how does the structure of the excerpt to convey the speech's purpose and key points? support your argument with evidence from the speech. (10 points)